Pile-driver



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

F. LE BLANG. PILE DRIVER.

No. 506,854. Patented Oct. 17, 1893.

(No Model.) L 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

" PQL'E BLANO.

PILE DRIVER.

No 506,854. Patented 00L 17 1893.

wlves-se-s, ava-1560?:

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

FRANK LE BLANC, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PILE-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,854, dated October 1'7, 1893.

Application filed April 14, 1893. Serial No. 470,335- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK LE BLANo, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pile-Drivers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to pile drivers and particularly to pile drivers used to drive the sheet piles employed to support the sides of street trenches and the like.

I have devised my improved pile driver with especial reference to its easy and practical application for use in connection with the well-known Carson trench machine, which is now almost universally used by contractors in excavating trenches for sewers, water-pipes and the like, but I desire it to be understood that the invention is not necessarily restricted to use in connection with the Carson machine.

In carrying out this invention I provide the Carson frame with one or more longitudinal tracks or guide-ways on which may slide a carriage. A guide-rod or post is connected with this carriage, and is adapted to move along from point to point therewith, and to rest at its lower end preferably upon the ground, or upon a suitable plank or support provided for it upon the ground, said guiderod furnishing a proper support and guide for the pile driving motor, preferably a steam motor which is employed to drive the piles. I provide the cylinder of the driving motor with two guide-rods, between which the cross or driving head is reciprocated, and at the lower end of this guide I provide a head block adapted to rest upon the pile to be driven and to receive the blow caused by the descent of the piston in the cylinder. The driving motor or cylinder rests upon this head and therefore upon the pile being driven and follows the pile in its descent. I provide, however, a lost motion between the head and the motor, whereby the head may be driven sharply downward with the pile by the blow of the motor, the motor itself falling thereafter as soon as it recovers.

Other features of my invention will appear in the specification and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in side view a section of a Carson trench machine of usual construction fitted with one form of my improved pile driver; Fig. 2, an end view of the section shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an inside view of the pile driver looking from the back of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4, an enlarged top or plan View of the preferred form of carriage, showing the universal connection between the guide post and the carriage, to be described.

Referring to the drawings, A, A, represent the uprights of a Carson machine connected by the upper and lower cross members B, B, and the side and central longitudinal members C, C, the central member C being provided with depending hangers c which carry the tracks or runs 0 for the buckets, all of which are and may be of usual construction as found in the Carson machines at the present time, and which may be varied more or less without reference to this invention.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide the Carson frame with two sets of tracks or guide-runs, the outside tracks (1 being supported upon suitable arms or brackets d resting upon the upper crossmember 13, while the inner tracks or guideruns (1 are supported upon the depending brackets or arms (1 both the brackets d and d at each side of the machine being clamped rigidly in position and to the member B by means of the clips or U-bolts d to which are applied the clamping nuts d. The carriage which is made to run upon either of these tracks, is herein shown at the left in Fig. 2, and in its preferred form consists of a frameplate e provided with the flanged guidewheels 6, preferably three in number, two of which run upon the upper side of the track, while the third runs upon the under side thereof.

To the side of the frame-plate e opposite that to which the guide-wheels are applied, I pivot at f the yoke f between the arms of which are pivoted upon trunnions f the clamp F consisting, as herein shown, of the two members f encircled by a strap f the ends of the latter being turned outwardly and drawn together by a bolt f to thereby clamp the two members f 3 together,-and contract the opening f 6 formed in their adjacent sides. The guidc-rod G, preferably square-in cross section, is passed loosely through the hole f in the clamp F, and at its lower end is provided with a foot-piece ghaving two or more claws or points adapted to be inserted in the ground or a plank or other support. resting upon the ground, to retain the said guide-rod in the desired rigid position.

The pile driving motor in the presentinstance consists of the cylinder H which is preferably provided at its ends with the guide plates h which extend to one side "and sur round the guide rod G, which thereforetcona stitutes the vertical guide for the motor. The cylinder H contains a piston mounted upon the end of the pistonrod h whichds of=usual construction, and the movements of which within the'cylinder are controlled by a rotary valve W provided with a handle h all of which. are of'usual common construction, it, being therefore deemed unncessarytoenter' into a detailed description of the same, they being constructed-and operated in well-known manner. The piston rod h, at its lowest end, carries the cross-head h whichmoves in the lateral uide-rods h secured to 'thebottom cylinder head, said guide-rods being reduced in size tofor-m shoulders h? near their lowermost ends below which-project the extended .ends (see Fig. 1) Hot said guide-rods, saidextended ends-being of.less diameter. than the; guide rods proper. The head block 1 mounted-upon-the exten'ded ends 72" of theguide rods, is chambered at its-underside, as shown in'dotted lines, tofit the upper end ofapile, preferably a sheet pile, which is to be driven. Themotor-H israised and loweredbythan'd ,by means .of a rlifting rope passed about suitable ,pulleys,as shown, andsecured at its lower end as at-lcwhen necessary. Steam to reciprocate the piston within the cylinderlH is :furnished by a supply-pipe m, which extends-longitudinally of the Carson frame. raudrrests upon the uppenmeniberB thereof, it-being provided at regular intervals with suitable :valves m, to any of which the'flexibleconnection on leading to the cylinder. may bejoi-ned.

representsthe trench; n, n, the usual guide planks laid flat and separated to leave aspaceto constitute guides for the sheet piles. to be driven down againstthe-side walls of the trenchto keep the latter from falling inyn the usual longitudinal strips between which; are interposed the usual cross-braces n shored up, by supports 01 The Carson frame is sup-i ,ported in usual manner in. position above thisi trench,-it being hereinshown as-carried u ponl thestringers o resting upon-the cross pieces on; Assu-mingthatthe trench has been sunk a} depth, say of two feet, more or' less, anditiisi found necessary to begin to drive the sheet; :piling, the several piles are iuserted-throughf theguide opening formed between theguidei planksn and the carriage 6 moved along its% track'intoiproper positionwith the cylinder l H in position above the first pile to be driven,

l ficiently to permit the'head block '6 to be placed upon the end of the pile to be driven when the said lifting rope is released, and

the cylinder permitted to drop until stopped by the shoulders h of the guide-rods 71 resting upon the head block upon the pile. The

cylinderH-having-been connected with the steamsupply pipemnby means of the flexible connection m the operator by movement of the valve handle It will cause reciprocation of the piston'withinthe cylinder, such reciprocation of the piston delivering successive, repeated blows through its cross-head upon the head-block i, suchblowsgraduatlly driving thepileiklownward. YAt eachblow the head-blockand pile L are driven sharply and quickly downward, more quickly than the cylinder H, which 'is. supported bytthe pile, can usuallyfollow,for the'head-block is loosely mounted upontthe guide-rodextension h", so that "the said "head block is ,permitted to follow the quick movement of the pile due to a blow, the cylinder thereafter by its .own weight dropping until stoppedan'd again supported. bythe shoulders'h upon the head-block in its new ,position, the cylinder being thus always supporte'dbythe pile and followingthe latter as 'i-tis driven into .the ground.

lIn practice 'I ,prc'fer to insert abloclLw of babbitt, wood, or other cushioning substauce between the cross-head and head block to-re lieve somewhat the sharpness of the blow, One pilehaving been .driventhe cylinderH is raisedby means ofthe lifting cord'lc, the

.than the Carson f'rame, the carriage ewill be transferred to one of the inner tracks d to bring the cylinder H intopositiontodrive the sheet,pi1ing for the .narrow trench, the adjustabilityofthe arms d, d, which carry lthe outer and inner trackstbeing of sufficient range to permit the said cylinder,when mounted upon one or the other of Lthe'tracks,'to be brought into. position directly over the, piles for any size trench. vasshown inFig. 4, in efiect'constitutes a uni- The clamp F, mounted versal connection between theguide rod .G

and the carriage, so that the saidguiiie-rod together with the cylinder H mounted thereon, may be turned into position which may be necessary in order to transfer the pile driver from one position to another on and with relation to the Carson frame. When the guide-rod has been placed in position and firmly seated upon a support at its lower end, the clamp f may be tightened by means of the bolt f to hold the said guide-rod more rigidly in position.

The entire device is sufliciently light to permit it to be readily handled by one, or at most two men when it is to be transferred from one track to another. The head-block being chambered to fit upon the end of the pile being driven and itself guided by the extensions k of the guide rods h guides the pile perfectly while being driven.

If desired a friction device of suitable construction may be employed to prevent the pile driving motor rebounding on the guiderod G, in hard driving.

This invention is not restricted to the particular construction or arrangement of parts herein shown, for it is evident the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having described one embodiment of this invention and without reference to details, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a frame, and a longitudinal track thereon, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod connected to said carriage and movable therewith along said track, and at its lower end adapted to rest upon a fixed support at one side of the pile to be driven, and a pile driving motor adapted to be supported by the pile to be driven and movable longitudinally with said carriage, and vertically on and guided by said guide rod whereby the latter serves as a guide for the motor as the said motor follows the pile as it is driven into the ground, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod adjustably connected thereto and its lower end adapted to rest upon the ground, and a pile driving motor movable longitudinally with said carriage and vertically on and with relation to said guide-rod, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a universally adjustable guide-rod connected thereto at its upper portion and adapted torest upon the ground independent of the piling, a pile driving motor movable vertically on said guiderod, and consisting of a steam cylinder containin g a piston, a piston rod, guides therefor, and a cross head for the end of the piston rod, to operate, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod connected with said carriage, a pile driving motor movable vertically on said rod, and a clamping device to clamp the upper end of said guide-rod to said carriage, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod movable with and jointed to said carriage and adapted at its lower end to rest upon the ground or a support thereon, and a pile driving motor guided in its vertical movements by said rod, and adapted to rest upon and drive a pile, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a Carson frame and a pile driving motor, of inner and outer tracks for said motor carried by and adj ustable on and with relation to the said frame to accommodate trenches of varying widths, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a Carson frame, of the arms 01, d tracks sustained thereby, the pile-driving motor,and clamping devices as cl common to both arms, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod connected with said carriage and movable vertically with relation thereto, and a clamping device to clamp said guide-rod in adjusted. vertical position, and a pile driving motor movable vertically on said guide-rod, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a frame, and a track running longitudinally thereof, of a carriage movable on said track, a guide-rod movable with said carriage and provided with a holding socket g at its lower end adapted to rest upon the ground or plank thereon, and a pile driving motor mounted on said guiderod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK LE BLANC.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

